New Delhi, May 10 (IANS): In the crucial Assembly elections in Karnataka which concluded at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, the Congress looks to be gaining ground in the 35 seats in the Central Karnataka region where it is expected to win around 18-22 seats, the ABP/C-Voter Exit Poll predicted on Wednesday.

According to the exit poll data, the BJP, which had won 24 seats in the 2018 Assembly elections in the Central Karnataka region, is likely to win 11 seats this time, whereas the Congress is expected to win 20 seats, up from its tally of 11 in 2018.

The exit poll also predicted that former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda's Janata Dal-S is likely to win one seat in the region, where it had drawn blank in 2018.

As per the exit poll, the Congress is also set to gain in vote share in the Central Karnataka region at 43.9 per cent, a swing of 7.9 per cent as compared to its 2018 share of 36 per cent.

The BJP, which got 43 per cent vote share in the region in 2018, will witness a reverse swing of 3.9 per cent as it is projected to get 39.2 per cent votes this time.

The counting of votes for the 224-member Karnataka Assembly will be taken up on May 13.